England all-rounder Andrew Flintoff unfazed by busy schedule

Andrew Flintoff is uninterested in resting despite facing a daunting schedule
of cricket ahead of this summer’s Ashes which begins on July 8.

Fighting fit: Andrew Flintoff does not want to be wrapped up in cotton woolPhoto: PA

By Nick Pearce

1:20PM GMT 25 Mar 2009

The all-rounder is considered central to England’s Ashes chances, and having had four ankle operations and an ongoing hip problem, a degree of caution with his fitness would be understandable.

However, the 31-year-old is keen to fit in as much cricket as possible in a bid to help England find their form after a dismal winter which has only produced one English win in all forms of the game.

“I’m just going to play when I’m asked to play,” he said.

Flintoff’s potential calendar includes the remaining one-day games in the West Indies, the Indian Premier League in South Africa, the West Indies’ return to England for tests and one-dayers, and the World Twenty20.

The Lancashire man has become all too familiar with injuries but appears to have no issues with his fitness, saying: “My last injury was a muscle tear which is something that just heals.

“There was never any worry about the long-term effects or the prospect of an operation or anything like that, it was just something that was going to heal.”

A lack of practice and matches is when his body is at its most vulnerable, according to Flintoff, and the former England captain suggested a change in the way he trains.

“I may have to bowl a bit more in practice and always keep ticking over rather than having those breaks and coming straight back into it,” he said.

If the pre-Ashes fixture list seems gruelling, there is no let up for the Ashes themselves or afterwards.

The Australians will contest eight games against England, before the Champions Trophy tournament in South Africa, followed by an England tour in the same country at the end of the year.

Flintoff has spent the last month out of the side, including a week back home where he received intensive rehabilitation from Lancashire physiotherapist Dave Roberts.

He believes the rest has been beneficial and said: “That [rest] will probably serve me well for what’s coming up this year because it’s a busy schedule. I will speak to the medical staff, but I’m just raring to get going now.”

England have endured a wretched winter which began by losing a Test series in India.

This was followed by another series loss in the West Indies, and a fortunate Duckworth-Lewis aided win over the same opposition in the first one-day international has been their only win.

Flintoff recognises the need to improve and said: “I think everyone gets ahead of themselves a little bit. There is the Ashes later in the year and everyone is looking at that, but we’ve got a lot to do before then.

“Even on this trip there is a bit to do with three one-dayers left and the series at 1-1 so we need to win this,” he added.

The one-day series against the West Indies continues on Friday in Barbados.